Vermicomposting
Okay, finally, I get around to posting my worms.
As you recall, I got a tiny amount of worms in a tiny container after the workshop:
I stared off by moving those guys into a larger bin:
I cut up a bunch of newspaper for bedding (they eat it, it helps them to digest the organic debris and has the added benefit of covering the organic debris so there is less of a chance you get fruit flies:
(Ignore the french press and applesauce - they just happened to be on my counter at the time.)
You can see the old paper they were living in vs. the new paper (yes, they love to eat cardboard so my drink holder from a disposable cup was in there):
Then I bought more worms from the LES Ecology Center. Unfortunately these worms had a fruit fly bonus so I had to harvest the worms just recently and bag all the compost (which you have to do anyway) to get rid of them.
So I got more worms and they started eating more - you can see the paper vs the organic debris here. The "dirt" is all their castings that I later harvested.
This is a stray red wriggler:
This is a teeny tiny worm egg on my finger. They mate like the dickens. Once I saw a worm laying eggs. True story:
This is a mango pit that they went to town on (spare me the cunnilingus jokes; they are but mere worms):
Here they've eaten only some food and made some compost:
Later on in the week, they ate and made some more (the straw was because of a tip geared towards remembering where you were feeding the worms last - but then worms crawled in it and wouldn't get out so I couldn't throw it away when I realized it was unnecessary):
Here is a close up of their eating habits:
And a big knot of worms:
And the outside of their bin:
Now I have the bins split in half with a cardboard divider so I can feed on one side at a time and it will be easier to harvest once there is a lot of compost. You feed on side A until it's full, then no food for 2-3 days, feed on side B and harvest side A when they have all moved over to side B.
For those of you in the NYC, I am hosting a free worm bin workshop with a contact from the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens Master Composter Program this Sunday at noon at the Park Slope Food Co-Op:
Who: me and a BBG Master Composter
What: free worm bin workshop
When: Sunday, noon
Where: PS Food Co-Op -
782 Union Street (between 6th and 7th Avenues in Park Slope)
Brooklyn, New York 11215
(718) 622-0560
Directions to the Coop
By Subway
M, R to Union St (at intersection of Union Street and 4th Avenue)
2 or 3 train to Grand Army Plaza station (at intersection of Flatbush Avenue and Plaza Street)
B, Q to 7th Ave (at intersection of Flatbush and 7th Avenues)
By Bus
B67 to Union St (along 7th Ave)
B71 to 6th or 7th Ave (along Union Street)
B63 to Union St (along 5th Avenue)
B41 to 6th/7th Ave (along Flatbush Avenue)
Why: BECAUSE WORMS ARE KIND OF AWESOME
As you recall, I got a tiny amount of worms in a tiny container after the workshop:
I stared off by moving those guys into a larger bin:
I cut up a bunch of newspaper for bedding (they eat it, it helps them to digest the organic debris and has the added benefit of covering the organic debris so there is less of a chance you get fruit flies:
(Ignore the french press and applesauce - they just happened to be on my counter at the time.)
You can see the old paper they were living in vs. the new paper (yes, they love to eat cardboard so my drink holder from a disposable cup was in there):
Then I bought more worms from the LES Ecology Center. Unfortunately these worms had a fruit fly bonus so I had to harvest the worms just recently and bag all the compost (which you have to do anyway) to get rid of them.
So I got more worms and they started eating more - you can see the paper vs the organic debris here. The "dirt" is all their castings that I later harvested.
This is a stray red wriggler:
This is a teeny tiny worm egg on my finger. They mate like the dickens. Once I saw a worm laying eggs. True story:
This is a mango pit that they went to town on (spare me the cunnilingus jokes; they are but mere worms):
Here they've eaten only some food and made some compost:
Later on in the week, they ate and made some more (the straw was because of a tip geared towards remembering where you were feeding the worms last - but then worms crawled in it and wouldn't get out so I couldn't throw it away when I realized it was unnecessary):
Here is a close up of their eating habits:
And a big knot of worms:
And the outside of their bin:
Now I have the bins split in half with a cardboard divider so I can feed on one side at a time and it will be easier to harvest once there is a lot of compost. You feed on side A until it's full, then no food for 2-3 days, feed on side B and harvest side A when they have all moved over to side B.
For those of you in the NYC, I am hosting a free worm bin workshop with a contact from the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens Master Composter Program this Sunday at noon at the Park Slope Food Co-Op:
Who: me and a BBG Master Composter
What: free worm bin workshop
When: Sunday, noon
Where: PS Food Co-Op -
782 Union Street (between 6th and 7th Avenues in Park Slope)
Brooklyn, New York 11215
(718) 622-0560
Directions to the Coop
By Subway
M, R to Union St (at intersection of Union Street and 4th Avenue)
2 or 3 train to Grand Army Plaza station (at intersection of Flatbush Avenue and Plaza Street)
B, Q to 7th Ave (at intersection of Flatbush and 7th Avenues)
By Bus
B67 to Union St (along 7th Ave)
B71 to 6th or 7th Ave (along Union Street)
B63 to Union St (along 5th Avenue)
B41 to 6th/7th Ave (along Flatbush Avenue)
Why: BECAUSE WORMS ARE KIND OF AWESOME